Category Archives: Philadelphia Flyers

While it’s difficult to zero in on exactly what Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli is looking for, sources indicated to CSNNE.com that the B’s GM was in Pittsburgh last night to watch the highly entertaining Penguins-Flyers game.

Chiarelli chatted with Philadelphia Flyers GM Paul Holmgren for the entire intermission between the second and the third period before the Flyers held on for a 6-5 victory at the CONSOL Energy Center.

The 22-year-old O’Reilly, the last restricted free agent who remains unsigned, is demanding more than $3.5 million than Matt Duchene is making with the Avs. It should be noted O’Reilly made $900,000 last year on an entry-level deal.

O’Reilly 18 goals and 37 assists for 55 points in 81 games last season. With centre Jason Spezza gone until at least the start of the playoffs after back surgery, the Sens could use that point production.

But if the Senators are going to make a deal for O’Reilly, Murray would be required to give up more than he’s prepared to give. The Avs are looking for a roster player who can help right now, a prospect and a draft pick.

Expect O’Reilly to land somewhere as the Avs try to clear up this sour relationship. The Leafs, Bruins, Rangers and Penguins have all held talks with Sherman, who would like to send him to an eastern conference team.

While the Senators are determined to go with what they’ve got to fill the void left by the back surgery to centre Jason Spezza, Murray likely couldn’t make a deal unless he was willing to give up a top prospect to get something in return.

Here are some of the unrestricted free-agent forwards who could appeal to the Flyers in a deal, one that would ease the pain of losing winger Wayne Simmonds (out indefinitely with a concussion) and Scott Hartnell, who could miss another five weeks:

Paul Holmgren is getting ready to push the panic button — and he needs help everywhere.

The Philadelphia Flyers GM wasn’t happy with the club’s 2-6-1 record going into Saturday’s visit by the Carolina Hurricanes. The word amongst league executives is he’d take just about anything he can get.

The Flyers need scoring, would like to get another blueliner and, on top of that, could use goaltending help as well. Generally speaking, they’ve been happy with Ilya Bryzgalov, but they did hold talks with the Vancouver Canucks about Roberto Luongo.

Capitals defenseman John Erskine will have a supplemental discipline hearing with NHL Vice President of Player Safety Brendan Shanahan at 2 p.m. Saturday for hitting Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds in the head Friday night.

With 1 minute 51 seconds remaining in the first period of Washington’s 3-2 win over the Flyers, Erskine elbowed Simmonds in the head as both players pursued a loose puck along the left-wing boards in the Philadelphia zone.

No penalty was called on the play. Simmonds had a bloody nose and was able to head to the bench under his own power, but he never returned to the game.

Flyers General Manager Paul Holmgren said after the game that Simmonds has a “head injury” and “probably a little bit of whiplash” but that he would be reevaluated Saturday.

One of the most coveted defenseman via trade is 35 year old New York Islanders d-man Mark Streit, NHL sources say. The Islanders off to a strong 3-2-1 start, are already getting calls on Streit from teams who are making their interest known were GM Garth Snow to put the pending free agent on the trade block at somepoint this season.

Two teams with significant interest is Atlantic Division rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers.

Will GM Paul Holmgren remain patient and wait for Hartnell’s return in four or five weeks? Or will he pull the trigger and try to make a deal for a sniper like Anaheim’s Bobby Ryan?

The next two weeks may provide the answer. Holmgren doesn’t figure to wait too long because he doesn’t have that luxury in a 48-game season.

Building block? Several Flyers said they can build off a Tuesday’s strong third period, a stanza in which they were constantly in the Rangers’ end. The Flyers play in Washington Friday and host Carolina on Saturday.

RDS.ca is reporting that the Flyers and Canadiens have been taking about a potential deal for Subban. It is noted that the Flyers are eagerly looking to find another top defender aftger they failed to land Weber in the summer.

The Flyers have company. Injuries have run rampant around the league, causing numerous first-year pros to fill the gaps. In Detroit, the Red Wings had nine defensemen either injured or ill after the season’s first week.

Nine.

The teams that have the quality depth are the ones that will survive the 99-day regular season and have the best chance to make a serious Stanley Cup run.

Will the Flyers, who managed a total of five goals in their first four games, be one of those teams?

Not at this rate. Which is why a bold move could be in the works, and why a player such as Anaheim winger Bobby Ryan, a South Jersey native who would love to return to his roots, could appear on the Flyers’ radar. Ryan, who has scored 30-plus goals in each of his four full seasons, is just the type of sniper the Flyers need. Could Ryan be to the 2013 Flyers what John LeClair and Eric Desjardins were to the struggling 1995 team, one that acquired those players in an early-season deal that turned around its year?